Reuters: A new study in the journal Pediatrics suggests that raising Medicaid reimbursement rates could help more children from low-income families receive flu vaccinations. "Although the vaccine itself is provided free of charge to children covered by Medicaid, doctors are only reimbursed for about half the cost of administering it," and are losing money in the process, say researchers. They reported a "strong association between physician reimbursement rate by Medicaid and influenza vaccination rate in children." Physicians are only willing to administer childhood immunizations if it's profitable, the lead author said (Joelving, 10/18).
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